Under – Marta Rybicka

In other words, passengers: temporary inhabitants of a transient space, moving en masse, yet each one an individual with their own concerns in life and their own story.

I travel a lot. And as I sit there, the view out of the window changing, I wonder about the people around me. Why are they travelling? What is their destination? Who are they on their way to meet? Who are they?

I choose to explore these aspects without asking them directly. To that end, I observe people on public transport – especially trains – waiting for those unique moments when they exhibit the affectations and personal gestures that reveal something about them, and open a window into their hidden lives.

In particular, this project focuses on Warsaw’s underground metro system. This is a good place to explore such ideas, as it allows me to observe people for longer than when just passing them by on the street. They’re having a break during the day; enjoying a moment of privacy in a public space. It’s their secret little room in the crowd. I get to see them in the most natural moment in the city, absorbed in their own lives.

The photographic style I’ve chosen enables me to hide the superfluous details of the public space and focus on the human details and sensitivities. So far I’ve spent two years capturing such moments and I’m still always on the lookout for untold stories about ordinary people in public places.